Old Ottawa South

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Old Ottawa South is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. About 8000 people live in Old Ottawa South, which is located just south of the Rideau Canal. The neighbourhood is relatively small, bounded to the south and east by the Rideau River and to the West by Carleton University.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is headquartered in Old Ottawa South in this former monastery (built c. 1914).

Today, Ottawa South is a primarily middle class area. Proximity to the university has meant that the neighbourhood has been a haven for professors and students, although rising housing prices are driving out the latter. Many writers have settled there. It is also one of Ottawa's more left-wing neighbourhoods and has been a stronghold for the New Democratic Party and the Green Party of Canada.

Many stores line Bank Street, including several pubs, the Mayfair Theatre, the Ottawa Folklore Centre (which primarily sells stringed instruments), and some Lebanese stores towards the Southern end. This section of Bank Street is also particularly well known for its antique stores. In a major 2004 project, the street was redesigned and, in one development, inlaid metal maple leaves were added to the sidewalks, on which were inscribed the names of famous Canadian folk musicians. Other new features included the removal of over-head powerlines, the introduction of some "traffic calming" measures, and the addition of more brick to the sidewalks.

The area was originally settled around 1814 by American and British settlers. In those years, even after the construction of the canal the area was fairly sparsely populated. The larger community south of the Rideau River around the Billings estate exerted more influence over the fledgling community than the city of Ottawa did in those days.

Typical architecture dating from the early 20th century

Ossington Ave

The Bank Street Bridge and canal in winter. The canal marks the northern boundary of Old Ottawa South.

Shortly after Confederation in 1867 a bridge was built over the canal increasing access from the larger city to the north. The area was tentatively called Rideauville at the time. After the turn of the century the area grew very rapidly, being annexed to Ottawa in 1907. The streetcar tracks were extended to the area around 1910, again encouraging rapid growth. The old streetcar ran along a route roughly similar to today's bus route #7, turning around in what is now Brewer Park. Hopewell school was built around this time.

The architectural style is mostly "Craftstman", with many, many houses in the American Foursquare style popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of these houses have been upgraded and added to over the years, contrbuting to the areas's eclectic style.

Most streets are tree lined

Since the 1920s the area has remained relatively similar. The streetcars have been replaced by buses, stores have changed, and Carleton University has been constructed on the site of an old garbage dump, but many of the streetscapes are very similar to the way they were.

Notable buildings in the area include Hopewell Public School, Southminster Church, St. Margaret Mary Church, Trinity Church, the Mayfair Theatre, the former Precious Blood Convent (now The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada), and the Old Firehall (currently a community centre).

Around 300 residences and institutional buildings are included on Ottawa's heritage reference list (an inventory of sites & structures potentially considered for legal protection as cultural heritage resources) from the area.

Old Ottawa South is not to be confused with the parliamentary constituency of Ottawa South. Old Ottawa South is located in the constituency of Ottawa Centre.